Exploring the humor and peculiarities of the Big Easy

Nerdy Events: New Orleans Comic Con and Krewe of Chewbacchus

It's a good time to be a “nerd” in New Orleans.

Annie Drummond

So in case you didn't know, I'm a bit of a nerd. I'm a music nerd, a TV nerd, movie nerd, book nerd and just all-around nerd nerd. Though I don't really identify as a geek, I am prone to "geeking out,” which is how I spent last weekend: geeking out at the Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con.

If you love pop culture and you've never been to a "con,” you're seriously missing out. They're filled to the brim with comic book artists, fan artists, sellers of TV shirts, toys, costumes, you name it. They also usually feature a variety of TV/movie actors who are popular in the sci-fi/horror/fantasy genres. The NOLA Comic Con brought several fan-favorites like Norman Reedus (who will be a grand marshal for the Endymion parade) from "The Walking Dead,” along with other cast members Michael Rooker, Steven Yeun and the dearly departed "Shane" Jon Bernthal. Easily the biggest draw of the whole con was Matt Smith, the 11th Doctor on the wildly popular British series "Doctor Who."

I usually don't bother with meeting famous people mainly because it can cost a lot of money and I just don't see the point in paying to feel awkward. If I'm around someone that I really love, I can't speak and I blush and feel like I'm making a fool of myself so I'm not going to waste $100 on talking to Norman Reedus while feeling like the biggest idiot in the world. I once sat next to Michael Fassbender in a hole-in-the-wall Bywater bar and couldn't say a word, I was so nervous and tongue-tied, and that meeting was free ... why pay to feel like that?

My favorite part of comic cons, however, is all the artwork. As someone who creates fan art myself, I like to support other artists while using up every available space on my walls with clever Ghostbusters and Back to the Future posters.

This is my friend Dane (and master of face paint) as he's waiting in a very looooong line to see Matt Smith. He's an "ood" from “Dr. Who.”

I'm including this picture here because I was practically forced into taking it. These girls were surrounded by cameras as they are castmembers of the Syfy show "Heroes of Cosplay.” One of the producers saw me and kept saying, "WE WANT YOU to take their picture! GET UP CLOSE! NO, not there, GET UP CLOSE.” They basically just wanted a shot of a bunch of people taking pictures of these cosplayers. Oh, manufactured reality television!

The dwarf on the left is also a castmember of "Heroes of Cosplay," Jesse Lagers, but I actually followed him around for a few seconds because I had spotted him from behind and was having fun pretending that Richard Armitage in his Thorin Oakenshield costume was wandering around the steampunk booth, but then he turned around. I still had to have a pic though because he's a pretty spot-on Thorin. Very nice guy. I hope he actually wins something next season as I always thought he had the best costumes on the show. And to the right we have Radagast the Brown complete with a little bird on her head. I'm a huge Tolkien freak so these two were easily my favorites.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Very straightforward.

Me and the 10th Doctor who looked like a spot-on David Tennant, hair and all.

Also representing New Orleans nerds was my personal favorite Mardi Gras Krewe, the Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus (who I'll be marching with this year), and a few of their contraptions including the "Bar2-D2" (photobomb by the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man).

If you missed Comic Con, you can still make the Chewbacchus parade as it rolls through the Marigny on Feb. 22. There will be every manner of fandom represented like Star Wars, Star Trek, superheroes,‘80s movies like E.T. and zombies. This year the theme is "The Wrath of Khan-ival" so if you're even the tiniest bit of a Trekkie, you must make it out. The krewe likes to focus on DIY throws, much like Krewe Du Vieux (which is this weekend!) so if you come to watch, you can be sure to know that most of the things you catch have been thoughtfully put together.

As for me, I'll be sporting my Kanye glasses and pointy ears while hanging out with the Hobbit-inspired sub-krewe "Party Elves of Mirkwood,” because like I said, I'm a Tolkien freak so I pretty much had to join.

It's going to be an exciting couple of weeks!

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Exploring the humor and peculiarities of the Big Easy

about

Annie Drummond is a graphic designer and artist from Columbus, Ohio. She has a degree from the Columbus College of Art & Design. Two years ago she made the move from the Midwest to New Orleans' Bywater neighborhood and fell deeply in love as she discovered the rhythms and traditions of her new city. In addition to The Lighter Side, she writes about food, art and design (and other stuff) at www.AnniedelaDolce.com.